Posted
by
timothy
on Sunday December 18, 2011 @05:57PM
from the in-the-palm-of-your-hand dept.

YokimaSun writes "Mamosuke, a PSP Homebrewer from Japan, has posted the first Hello World on the PS Vita which comes from the PSP Emulator in the console. Using a buffer overflow, he has found a way into the PSVita, and with many PSP Game exploits still around and not published for the whole homebrew and hacking community this means that in the short term homebrew is here on the PSvita. Lets hope this is the start of a true PSVita homebrew scene."

Black people's hair is particularly inclined to break or fall out if not kept moisturized. That's why they use oil in it so often. I think if I were black, I'd just keep it close-cropped instead of dealing with greasy hair products, but that's just me.

What have they lied about? Sure, you're maybe upset how they removed OtherOS from PS3 after hackers started abusing it, but that doesn't make them liars. You might want to stick to truth if you have some point to make.

On the OtherOS front, we have over a year of Sony saying, "OtherOS is here to stay" and "we will not remove functionality"

[citation needed]

On the flip side is knowingly installing rootkits on folks computers, lying about, then saying it's people's own faults because, "Most people don't even know what a rootkit is!"

A third-party tool that was horrible, to be sure, but again, where's your citation that they blamed the users and ever said what you put in quotes? Seems to me you're the one lying here...

So, your best examples are unsupported claims, lies, and complaining about something that happened almost a decade ago? Honestly, you don't really make much of a compelling case against Sony, and I don't really like the company itself all that much, so you wouldn't have to try very hard to convince me. Jus

They have a history of mistreating paying customers. I imagine the freebies (all very old games, of course) for the PSN outage were just a business decision that wound up in the customers' favor. Their other business decisions ended up in their fav

Sony have had numerous instances of really trying to stick it to the consumer, OtherOS and the rootkit scandal were the worst, all the other instances were somewhat less audacious, but still serving themselves ahead of their customers. Simple things like removing support from the PS3 for third party controllers, designing mp3 players which were really not friendly to the consumer, securom is a sony product as well, it's not big things as much as lots of little things, and that's why i agree with Unkl_Shvelv

All my usb controllers no longer work. As for the MP3 comment, check network walkman, sure it's the early days, but it's just a clear example of sony's attitude. Now, if they ever dreamt of doing that, they wouldn't have buckleys chance of competing, so that's why they just give the customers what they want. I suppose it just comes down to them trying to control the market rather than just producing good tech, which admittedly, sony is more than capable, it's just that they hamper it down with DRM.

Actually, no, a citation is not needed. Sony sold a console with a feature. People bought the console with that feature. When you buy something, you expect to be able to keep something, so yes, Sony said, by selling the PS3, that you would get (and keep) OtherOS. When they took it away, they demonstrated an audacious hostility to their customers.

If that was the only thing that Sony had ever done that showed hostility to their consumers, it is something that enough good behavior on their

A third-party tool that was horrible, to be sure, but again, where's your citation that they blamed the users and ever said what you put in quotes?

Unfortunately, hes NOT lying, and that quote was from a fairly high up executive...Mr. THOMAS HESSE (President, Sony BMG Global Digital Business): Most people, I think, don't even know what a Rootkit is, so why should they care about it? http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4989260 [npr.org]

That quote isnt itself a crime, but it certainly is a poor attempt to defend their actions, and kind of indicates Sony's relationship with its customers.

If you want to know the reasons basically everyone on the internet hates sony, you can start by reading Maddox's take on it [thebestpag...iverse.net] (which is pretty spot on, despite the crudity of it). Long story short,

They shut down Lik-Sang. Wonderful, now I cant buy Hori controllers anymore. The irony of it is that apparently even Sony employees were importing thru LikSang

They had the whole rootkit debacle mentioned above, which they handled with the grace of an elephant and about as much tact as Maddox. I think they eventually released a tool to remove the kit, which ended up either causing further problems or not actually fixing the broken CD drives it created. (Windows reinstall necessary). Mark Russinovich has a writeup on the whole thing, but the NPR link above summarizes it pretty well.

Part of Sony is Sony BMG, which is part of the RIAA that everyone on the internet loves so much.

They started removing features from the PS3 from iteration 2 on (USB ports, etc), which is always a way to make your customers love you.

They got the crap hacked out of them, and then denied the severity of it, resulting in two [penny-arcade.com] rather spot [penny-arcade.com] (and hillarious) on Penny Arcade comics. They also posted a...post... [penny-arcade.com] on it which basically sums it up: They lack the ability to communicate in a meaningful way with their customers.

Theyre behind Blu-Ray, and its encryption, which again is super duper popular with normal slashdot folks.

Not all of those are crimes (blu-ray), but when you add them together you get the impression that Sony doesnt even really pretend to care about its customers, and really is your stereotypical faceless monster of a corporation. They barely even have a cool-factor to offset it, like Nintendo can pull off.

They started removing features from the PS3 from iteration 2 on (USB ports, etc), which is always a way to make your customers love you.

Removing features from new models is very different from removing features from existing models after a customer bought it, and you know it.

The USB ports and PS2 CPU were removed in the console's second revision to reduce the console's price tag. The PS2 graphics system (and thus, PS2 Software support) were removed in the third revision for the same reason.

OtherOS was removed from the Slim edition, then once someone figured out how to bypass the Hypervisor, removed from all previous editions via firmware u

Really? Sony has a good record of quality products like the whole PlayStation brand. Their only real fiasco was the CD rootkit gaffe, but that was not due to their intended malice, they just wanted to try a new DRM offered by some 3rd party, the executives did not even know how it should work or what the rootkit is anyway, they just bought 'amazing new proprietary security technology' that turned evil beyond their imagination.

And about the rootkit CD, you act like Sony has no people capable of evaluating a product. "They just wanted to try".... on my hardware, GFYS Sony. The evil part on top of that is that the tool to remove the rootkit was even worse then the rootkit itself. Read either Mark's blog on SysInternals, or one of the links posted above if you want to actually understand the douchiness of their response.

Two analog sticks, front and rear touch screen, a lot of power, great PSP/PSX emulator compatibility (much better than ePSXe or PCSX), and a cheaper price for people who can't afford a data plan for their phone.

I"ve been saying for years that if Android really wants to take the gaming world, what they really need is some kind of standard controller with a simple d-pad and 4-6 buttons. Analog thumbstick might be nice, but probably isn't even necessary. Have some kind of mechanism so that it can physically hold the phone, and make it connect with bluetooth, and you are set. Touch screen controls work fine for angry birds, but having your fingers on the screen really cuts away from high action games, both in usable

I've been saying for years that if Android really wants to take the gaming world, what they really need is some kind of standard controller with a simple d-pad and 4-6 buttons. Analog thumbstick might be nice, but probably isn't even necessary. Have some kind of mechanism so that it can physically hold the phone, and make it connect with bluetooth, and you are set.

Video game developers can't rely on end users owning one of those, especially when "Signup to receive an email when Gametel is ready for sale outside Europe." Nor is a $69.99 iControlPad cheap enough to sell in a bundle with a game the way a controller is bundled with Guitar Hero.

Didn't know they existed. Google should be pushing to get these marketed. They should sell them along with cell phones, for a minimal price, to get people to use them, and so developers can depend on them being there.

NO NO NO a thousand times NO. What we need is to be able to remap controls, ALWAYS. Then it doesn't matter if your controller is "standard", you just need a controller with at least N buttons. So many console games have just been totally ruined by bad control maps...

Or are you asking what makes this hardware better than android hardware?

This is correct. What makes a locked-down video game player that has to be jailbroken better than an Android PMP that respects the user's choice to obtain software from unknown, possibly hobbyist, sources?

What makes a locked-down video game player that has to be jailbroken better than an Android PMP that respects the user's choice to obtain software from unknown, possibly hobbyist, sources?

1) It has buttons. You want to play any game with an interaction method more complicated than "poke the thing"? A touchscreen is no good.
2) Built-in high-compatibility emulators for PSP and PSX
3) Unusually nice screen (I've seen plenty of cheap PMPs using TN panels)

Off hand, I may own a PS Vita but not an Xperia Play or a Galaxy Player. It's the same reason I use/develop homebrew on a GBA. Perhaps a good question would be, why buy a PS Vita over an Xperia Play. Personally, I wouldn't know except to say I'm leery of any device I'm afraid of putting in my pocket for fear it'll become scratched up or break. To that end, I don't really know if any of the above are something I'd want.

I was under the impression that there had to be some advantage in doing so in order to make up for 1. the possibility of a lawsuit over revealing the method used to do so (compare Sony v. Hotz), and 2. the fact that flourishing homebrew encourages people to buy nominally "closed" devices over "open" devices running Android, an operating system that at least minimally respects users' and home developers' freedom.

Perhaps the advantage is that it amounts to a giant "FUCK YOU!" to Sony. I for one would totally hack a console just to spite them. If I ever do get a PS3 (used, so they don't get any money), I'll be sure to slap Linux on it just because.

I'm sure they are quaking in their boots over your impotent rage their, bro. Always thought it was funny people are so hateful of their consoles, given their consoles were the most open from any of the main console brands.

[Sony's] consoles were the most open from any of the main console brands.

Emphasis on the "were". If the PS3 lacks anything comparable to Xbox Live Indie Games, Sony ceded the openness crown to Microsoft as of PS3 firmware 3.21. What exactly are the qualifications to develop downloadable PSP or PS3 games?

What's the advantage of running homebrew on an Android device over running homebrew on a full-blown desktop PC?

There are a few answers and they're all rather simple: it's different hardware, allowing for different things, and if you're buying such a device anyways why not take advantage of it in multiple ways? And unlike a PC and most Android devices, a PSVita is a PSVita: its specs do not change and since you can count on there always being the same set of input devices you can optimize whatever it is you'

The advantage of Android apps over PC apps is the device's form factor, which may be more appropriate for some apps. But an Xperia Play's form factor is close to that of a PSP Go and not too far from that of a PSP-1000/2000/3000 or PSVita.

and if you're buying such a device anyways why not take advantage of it in multiple ways?

Because the manufacturer wants to take "multiple ways" away from the people who buy the product.

since you can count on there always being the same set of input devices you can optimize whatever it is you're creating for that.

All Android phones and PMPs have a touch screen. And apart from Archos 43, which appears to have been obsoleted by the Galaxy Player, they're pretty much all capacitive, so most

Depending on the context, yes. If I'm at a anime/comic con, who knows what people will be playing. If I'm on the bus or train? I've definitely got what I want to play in mind before I leave my apartment.

The idea that I can't play a game because I don't own a console sucks. Although the 360 makes it suck more because I really hate the console.

You probably don't already "own a PSVita" because it won't be sold in the English-speaking market for another two months. I was asking why buy a PSVita over an Android PMP once the PSVita is out if you're going to be using it for homebrew. IMHO, one should vote with one's wallet for homebrew-friendly manufacturers, such as pretty much all manufacturers of Android PDAs and Android phones.

your ac point of view is probably flamebait buttruth is most people have a limited budget and what isn't spent on games will be spent on utilities rent mortgingage food clothing ect.

There is no real cost to people playing pirated games v bought games if they couldn't buy them in the first place. In practical terms what is the difference to going to see a film at first release, buying it on dvd or waiting for your local broadcaster to broadcast it. makes no odds some people will pay for the privilege, some

Do you not realize that a VCR or a DVD recorder is a way to pirate? Let me give you a hint as to why it's legal to sell a VCR in my country: substantial noninfringing use. Some people are, shall I say, obsessive about porting SDL or Allegro to every handheld platform so that open source games can run on it.

And sony has never fucked their customers, ever.

Not literally, but Sony has removed features that were selling points. The feature of being able to dual-boot Linux and the game OS was a selling point of the original PS3, but Sony took away Other OS as

Not only that: a camera is enough to pirate copyrighted works. Hell, even a god damn pencil and some paper is enough! There doesn't really exist anything at all whatsoever that can't be used for piracy in one way or another and the only way of truly preventing people from pirating is to always have someone stand behind them and watch. And even that would work only if you could always 100% count on that person watching them. As such banning uses based on the argument "it COULD THEORETICALLY be used for pirac

First, most VCRs are made to fail when a Macrovision encoded signal is encountered. Yes, "made". Prior to Disney using Macrovision, most VCRs were loose enough that rendered it useless. By tightening up the AGC on the VCR, Macrovision screws up the signal and makes it difficult to copy.

DVD recorders are even easier - they detect a Macrovision encoded signal and shut down. (This is especially since DVDs do not always engage the "Ma

I have to protest your opinion. As a long time PC gamer, the thing that has always excited me the most is the fact that the platform is completely open. The very first time I managed to load the eclectic Doom Editor Utilities toolset and build a stupid two room wadfile was one of the most electrifying experiences I have ever had sat in front of a computer. It was the day for me that computer games stopped being arcane wizardry, and started being something I could understand and respect as a craft. The more

Considering the fact that all you have is my opinion on this specific issue (not wanting to ban something because it might be abused in what I see as a very minor way), no. I have no idea how you could know such a thing.

Just because I have a different opinion than you on this issue doesn't mean that I don't make software for a living.

you have no entitlement to someone else's work for free you know.

You have no inherent (that I know of) entitlement to anything. What you're speaking of is laws that are currently in effect. Those can change.

Err, Computer game development is very inclusive, you can get SDL tools for your language of choice for free on your platform of choice and build something that's cross platform OR use any number of freely available engines out there.

What happens inside of a games console is very much a walled garden, because what's out there isn't that great. Driver conflicts, shitty OSes(including OSX; it's a better desktop OS than windows; but horrible to game on), cheating online, etc. etc. etc. just is a lousy experi

Christ, you missed my point completely. Or you are deflecting. I wasn't saying consoles consoles should turn into PC's, I was saying that they should take a leaf out of the PC's book and open up. It would be absolutely amazing to have a standard, homogeneous platform with powerful hardware out there that was open to everyone, from giant companies to bedroom programmers. I am sorry, but sometimes the little guys have much more interesting things to say than the giant stagnant companies that say 'lets have a

And? It could be abused, but I don't believe it should be banned (I wouldn't believe it should anyway). Someone may or may not be losing potential profit? So? Not enough of a reason to me to remove a feature (or something such as that).

And hey, there's a laundry list of shit they're directly responsible for, like the rootkit, or that lovely little PSN clause which prevents you from taking them to court, or of course the removal of OtherOS and suing of homebrew developers.

Only idiots like you claim that homebrew == piracy. In the very early days of the PS3 CFW hacks, it wasn't actually possible to pirate games. Specifically, Geohot's method of running homebrew was designed to not enable pirac

Could there really be a possibility to something nice and finished come out from the hypothetical Vita homebrew scene (apart pirated games)? This is already quite a complex machine and it will take a while to get around it unless you have the commercial development power.

Could there really be a possibility to something nice and finished come out from the hypothetical Vita homebrew scene (apart pirated games)?

No, that possibility does not exist as long as things like buffer overflows are required to do this. If support for homebrew projects was specifically supported by Sony then that would be a possibility. No company is going to invest anything in a system that depends on Sony not fixing a bug. If they invest development cash, and then Sony fixes the bug that makes this possible, where is the developer then? How could they justify that initial investment if it requires bugs to work instead of being officia

When a newer system is able to function as an older one (the article, which looks poorly Babelfished, claims it's emulation, but it's probably some kind of virtualization), being able to hack into the older-system mode is usually useless in being able to hack into the system itself. Typically once the system goes into older-system mode it's too late to do anything because all the new functionality is disabled until the next boot, and even if not, the virtual machine can't touch it.

I have no doubt it's a real hack, but it's a PSP hack and isn't ever going to get us any more functionality than just hacking a PSP in the first place.

It's not true that the PS-vita has been hacked.. All that was established is that the PSP-emulator does exactly what a real PSP does, because all the hacks that work on the original PSP also work on the PSP-emulator that runs on the PS-vita..

If the hacks didn't work there would be a big problem running PSP-games on the PS-vita anyway.. But then again, this is good news for original PSP-owners who now can get 'illegal' images of the UMD-games they already own and run them on the PS-vita (where you otherwise had to rebuy them, which ofcourse is ridiculous if you already own the original PSP-game).